


From Ashes to Snow

by petitmelon



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 05:32:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4209822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petitmelon/pseuds/petitmelon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a harsh future, Rei feels as though she doesn't belong. She feels nostalgic for the past seen in history books though she doesn't know why. After an earthquake, she arrives in an ancient world where the moon and earth are at war. Things aren't always as it seems, and if she's not careful, the past will repeat itself. AU, Rei POV, but will feature all the senshi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Ashes to Snow

Ashes to Snow

* * *

The delicate scent of Casablanca lilies greeted me as I opened the door. On my desk sat a large bouquet set in a hand blown crimson vase whose deep red matched the stamen of the lilies. A box sat next to it, huge gold bow an affront to the ethereal blossoms beside it. I didn't have to open the box to know what was inside it.

"It's that time of year again." I held a flower in the palm of my hand and gently ran my fingertips over the silken petals. I should be thankful. These were real flowers, after all, and real flowers required lots of water to grow, water that was a pricey commodity nowadays. The card attached to the blossoms said the same thing it did every year. _To my lovely daughter on her special day._

I took off the bow and opened the box. A white dress with lace, same as every year. The cut and style changed, but never the dress. Virginal white, classy lace, a dress meant to give the wearer an air of angelic poise.

The dress fits, as it did every year. I opened the jewelry box and pulled out last year's present, a gold necklace, and put it on. He probably doesn't remember buying it, but wearing the present of the former year became a ritual I engaged in.

I closed my eyes and indulged in the scent of the flowers. The only beautiful thing about today belonged to this nostalgic scent.

_Rat-tat-tat_. Every time Grandpa knocked, it was that distinct rhythm. I opened the door and stated the obvious. "The car is here."

He gave me a warm smile and rubbed my arm. "It's only one dinner."

I nodded. "I know."

My feet slide along the old wood floors to the front entrance, where I put on a pair of heels. The soft hiss of each step gives way to a clack. As I approached the car, Raidou opens the door. "Lady Rei."

I nod to him. "Good evening."

"You look beautiful as always."

"Thank you."

I climbed into the car. Raidou only saw me once a year, same as Father. How then, could he say I was always beautiful? Not that it mattered. I put on the show every year to get it over with as quickly as possible. Rebelling against it would only prolong the dinner.

The city was cold. Concrete everywhere. Skeletons of trees, brittle branches, a bitter reminder of the eruption's destruction. Gray skies, not promising rain, but the remnants of ash floating over us. A permanent chill lingered in the air.

We stopped at a restaurant named _Beryl_. The name meant nothing to me. I never ate out at restaurants like this, where a bill could provide a family of four meals for a month. Grandpa and I kept things simple, and I liked it that way.

"Good evening," the maître d' greeted. "What is the name?"

"I have Rei Hino here, a guest of Takashi Hino," Raidou answered.

"Ah yes, Mr. Hino has already been seated. If you'll follow me, please."

As we walk through the restaurant, I see a golden curled hair ahead. My heart stops. As we go near, I hear his laugh and I know it's not a case of mistaken identity. "Jinichi."

I huddle into myself. He can't see me like this. Vulnerable. Rei Hino was a woman of strength, of stubborn pride, a woman who never backed down from a challenge, especially a challenge set by Jinichi.

Today my flames were nothing but ash.

I stare ahead at the familiar silhouette of my Father, tapping away on his tablet. _Just a little more, maybe he won't notice you._

Cold fingers wrapped itself around my wrist. "Rei?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I turned around and came face to face with a set of ash-colored eyes. "It's a small world, isn't it?"

His eyes flicker over my face and body. I should have known better to acknowledge him. I should have shrugged off his hand and continued to the table my Father sat. But now I can't, and I see those sharp eyes dancing over me, and I know that he knows something was out of place. The only question now was whether he'd capitalize on my weakness.

"You look nice today."

His words sparked a warm flame in my chest. The most maddening thing about Jinichi was the way he simultaneously invoked a sense of nostalgia and rage in me. I knew the moment I saw him that I didn't like him, yet every time I saw him I couldn't help but feel warmth. Ancient warmth, not the cold future we lived in. In the same way I felt a connection to the past, I felt like he too, belonged with it.

He gestured to the men beside him. "My brothers. Neruka, Kunai, and Zoin."

None of them looked like they were blood related, but in this day and age anything was possible. Every baby was genetically modified to some extent, even myself.

"Nice to meet you," I greeted, thankful my voice sounded more confident than I felt.

"We go to school together," Jinichi continued. "She's the closest thing I have to a rival."

"Don't talk like you're the one on top," I snapped. "We're neck-and-neck."

His lips lifted into a smile. "Are we? As I recall, I scored three points higher than you on the last chemistry test."

He really knew how to get under my skin. "And I scored three points higher than you on the last history test."

"As I recall, I had the highest score on the midterms."

I gritted my teeth. "By one point."

Zoin laughed. "Don't feel bothered. Knowledge is something that comes naturally to this family."

_Ah yes, the incredible Shitennou family. Made their fortune off devising a quicker method of desalination and saving the world. Of course, of course. The prodigies._ I cut off my bitter thoughts, but couldn't manage to keep it completely out of my voice. "And the world is thankful for it."

"You could sound a little more sincere when you say that," he teased.

I shifted my weight to move forward but felt resistance. I looked at Jinichi, and for a moment I saw worry in his expression. _You're acting weird,_ I read in those furrowed brows. I put on a smile. "It was nice meeting you, and seeing you, Jinichi. But I have a yearly dinner to attend."

His eyebrows arched as he let go. "See you tomorrow."

I nodded. "Of course." As I walked to my father my stomach knotted with guilt. I wasn't mad at Jinichi, I took out my aggression towards my father at him. Not that there weren't plenty of reasons to be upset with Jinichi about, this wasn't one of them.

"How lovely it is to run into friends, don't you think?" The maître d' commented.

Much like everyone in this high-class world, even negative interactions were considered positive. I came across as an icy bitch and even a blind man could see it. As I approached the table, Father set aside his tablet and looked up at me. "Happy Birthday, Rei."

I sat across from him. "Thank you."

"Your Grandfather tells me everything is well."

"Yes, it is."

"And have you decided on your future path?"

"I have not."

"You are a senior in high school," he replied with an air of contempt in his voice.

My voice came out as tense as I felt. "I am well aware."

"Have you thought of it at all? Or are you too interested in boys?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He arched an eyebrow and nodded to the direction I came. So he saw me and Jinichi. "He's no one important."

"And what is his pedigree?"

My fists clenched as a fire of rage ignited inside me. "He can afford to eat here."

"As can everyone that attends that school. But that doesn't speak much, does it?"

"He's of the Shitennou family, and he is barely edging me out for first in class. So yes, his _pedigree_ is more than adequate."

"Shitennou? They only recently came into money, then. You shouldn't associate with those types. They'll blow through their fortune in a single generation."

"That fortune came from being the ones that created a desalination process that made it feasible to support Tokyo's population. They're not as foolish as you think."

"I wouldn't say that."

My heart stopped. "Jinichi."

"Things seem to be getting a bit heated." He pulled up a chair and sat next to me. "The entire restaurant can hear you. And considering I'm the topic at hand, I should at least take part, don't you think?"

Heat rushed to my cheeks. _Then he heard me defending him. I'm never living this down._

He held out his hand. "Mr. Hino, I take it?"

Father looked at his hand with contempt, but still took it and gave it a shake.

"I'm Jinichi. I go to school with your daughter."

"That fact has already been established." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "How much do you want?"

"For what?" he replied, obviously confused.

"For getting out of my daughter's life. She has yet to decide on her path, and the last thing I want is a boy keeping her from realizing her potential."

Fire-hot rage enveloped me. Seventeen years of disgust, anger, and frustration bubbled at the surface. It wouldn't matter if I made a scene, wouldn't it? Jinichi said the entire restaurant could hear us. This "quiet" yearly dinner with his daughter would surely become news tomorrow morning. As I opened my mouth Jinichi slammed his fist on the table.

"The most important things in life have no price." He grabbed my hand. "Come on, Rei."

The fire inside sputtered. I stared back at my father, at his scowling face, and a giggling fit took over me. Jinichi dragged me out of the restaurant to the sidewalk. Once free of the depressing atmosphere the giggles turned to a belly-aching laugh. Tears fell down my cheeks. "You have no idea how good this feels. Did you see his face?"

Jinichi's brows furrowed, but he said nothing in reply. The emotions of the day continued to spill out in laughter. My sides began to ache, but I couldn't stop laughing.

"Lady Rei?" Raidou questioned. "Are you okay?"

I held up my hand. "I'll be walking home, Raidou. Give my regards to Father." With each step away from that acursed restaurant the lighter my heart felt.

"How far is home?" Jinichi asked.

His voice startled me. I didn't even notice he walked beside me. "A ways."

"And you're going to walk back the entire way?"

I shrugged. "It's no big deal."

"If it's about money, I can call a cab…"

I put my hands on my hips and glared. Money was of no object to either of us, and he knew it.

He scratched his head and sighed.

"You don't have to come with me. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

He frowned and said nothing in reply.

I turned and continued walking.

He caught my hand. "It's okay to rely on others."

I yanked my hand out of his. "And sometimes people need to be alone."

He glared. "You're obviously not yourself today."

"And? What better reason for me to be alone?"

"It's about to be dark soon."

"I'll be fine," I insisted with a hint of a growl to my voice.

His lips thinned to a straight line. Between the two of us, we had a bad temper as it was, but unlike school, he had no leg to stand on. "Fine." He turned and walked away.

Evening set in and the streets were mostly empty. The daytime always had a nice chill, but the nights were as freezing as the heart of winter. The cold rarely bothered me. I always felt warm when others were cold. It may sound odd to say, but I feel like I'm the embodiment of fire sometimes.

Two girls walked out of the internet café in front of me. My chest tightened. One girl had blonde hair to her knees, tied in two buns on top of her head. The other had hair the color of the ocean. Just like Jinichi, they had a warm nostalgia to them. I've never seen them before, I'm sure of it.

"Ami, it's cold!" the blonde whined, hanging off Ami's shoulder.

"I told you we should have left earlier."

"We can't leave in the middle of V's livestream! Besides, wasn't she perfect?" She did a poor imitation of a dance move.

I couldn't help but crack a smile at her antics.

Ami smiled. "Well, if we hurry, we can make it to the train station in five minutes."

As they walked by, the blonde and I made eye contact. My heart throbbed painfully in my chest. I sucked in a breath. She smiled and huddled back into her friend. "Did you see that girl? She's gorgeous! Do you think I could be an adult like her someday?"

_Hah, adult. I bet we're the same age._ I frowned and quickened my pace. After awhile, small flecks of white were in the air. The ash peppered my dress. Black rain, gray snow, the once colorful beauty of life was reduced to grayscale.

By time I made it back to the shrine my feet ached and my white dress became a gray dress. I walked inside and set my shoes in the front.

"Ah, you're home," Grandpa greeted. "I was starting to get worried about you."

I shook my head. "Just needed a walk to clear my head."

"Your father called me. Something about a Jinichi? Ring a bell?"

I sighed and lightly dusted off my clothes. "He's just a classmate."

"There's nothing wrong with being in love, you know. I had quite a few flings in the past, myself." He stroked his chin. "My first girlfriend, she was a little lacking in the upper compartment, but she had legs that went on for days. The fashion of the time was miniskirts and I enjoyed the easy access, if you —"

"Grandpa!"

He laughed. "You're young. That's what youth is for."

I crossed my arms. "I don't need anyone. I don't want a relationship."

"Have you decided what you're going to do after graduation?"

I sighed. "No."

He smiled. "You'll always have a place here, as the shrine's number one priestess."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm the only priestess."

"And the best." He hugged me.

"Grandpa, you're getting ash all over your robe," I chided, though his words brought a great sense of comfort.

He rubbed my back before letting me go. "The bath is ready and warm, if you like."

I smiled. "Thanks." I went to the back of the shrine to the bath. The water smelled like pool water. Clean water was used only for drinking and crops. All other water required a treatment before use, and that treatment always left behind a chemical smell. I gave up trying to diffuse the smell long ago.

The warm water eased my aching feet. I stretched out my legs and rubbed them. The water clouded. I cleaned myself the best I could and relaxed. The events of the day played through my mind. "I wonder who those two girls were." They wore uniforms from the nearby public school, but this was my first time seeing them. Granted, I didn't go out much after school. My life revolved around the shrine and keeping my grades high. Even if I didn't know what I wanted to do in life, having higher grades will open more doors than not.

Most teenagers said this, but I genuinely felt like I never belonged in this world. I belonged to the past, that ancient time I still felt a connection to. Not the world before the eruption, the one seen in history books, the time when humans were interconnected with the earth and its spirits.

Sometimes when I prayed, I could hear the voices of the old spirits, soft as a whisper, crying in pain. The farther people strayed from the gods, the more voices she heard. It seemed like the gods were dying just as the people were.

"That's all that's left in this world. Death." I slunk into the water until it covered my nose. _I wonder how Jinichi will act at school tomorrow. I hope he doesn't bring up what happened yesterday._

* * *

"Rei," Jinichi greeted the moment I walked past the school gates. "You made it back alive."

"Was there any doubt I would?"

He gave me a shrug. "Everyone has a weakness, even you."

"And what's your weakness?"

He gave me an impish smile. "I'm perfect. I have no weaknesses."

I rolled my eyes and quickened my pace. He jogged beside me. "Hey, wait. I have something to give you."

I stopped and stared at him incredulously. "Huh?"

He nodded his head towards the back of the school. "Come with me real fast. You won't be late to class, trust me."

I felt the heat of the gazes of our classmates following us to the back. _Feed the rumor mill, why don't you._ Not that their words truly bothered me. It was mostly an inconvenience, though I 'm sure the rumors of our dating kept my confessions to a minimum compared to the start of the school year.

He took me around to a space between the sports building and the school building. I leaned against the wall. "So what is it?"

He reached into his bag and pulled out a small wrapped box. "For you."

A surge of electricity pulsed through my body. "What is this?"

"Yesterday was your birthday, wasn't it?"

My mouth hung agape. I stumbled through several half words. He chuckled and placed the box in my hand. I stared at it and noticed my hands were trembling. I swallowed and concentrated on holding it steady. "How did you know?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm a genius, remember?"

I pursed my lips. "How did you know?" I repeated.

"You told me. Well, not directly, but it was easy to guess. Yearly dinner with the pops, a new dress, jewelry you never wear…"

I felt my cheeks flush as he went through the details. Despite his looks, it seemed like he noticed a lot of things about me. I pushed the box back to his chest. "I can't take it."

He wrapped his long fingers around mine and pushed it back to me. "It's a present. You can't say no."

"I don't celebrate my birthday."

"So take it as a congratulations present."

"Congratulations for what?"

He stroked his chin before grinning. "Getting second on midterms."

I half laughed in disbelief. "That was four months ago!"

He shrugged. "So it's a little late."

"Jinichi."

He crossed his arms. "I'm not going to accept it back, so might as well open it." I glared at him in reply. He met my anger with his own stubbornness. The first bell rang. He raised his brows. "Looks like you have five minutes."

I tried to move past him, but he blocked my path. "I'm okay with being late," he replied. "It's not like they're going to do anything to me."

"Jinichi!" I protested. "Get out of my way."

He squared his stance and looked me in the eye. "Open it."

"No." I tried to shove him out of the way, but somehow me managed to take my force and feed it back to me, pinning me against the wall.

"Why are you always so stubborn," he whispered.

My heartbeat thudded in my ears. "Let me go."

"Do you promise to open it?"

I glared. "You can't force me to do something I don't want to do."

His gaze floated to my lips and back to my eyes. "You know, I never noticed before, but that fierce look of yours is rather sexy."

That was it. I growled and pushed with all of my strength.

He stumbled backwards, laughing.

I huffed and started to march away, only to hear the last bell. I stopped and sighed in despair.

Jinichi put his arm around me. "Looks like we're late. Why don't we skip first period?"

I shrugged his arm off. "I'm going to kill you."

He laughed. "Come on, Rei. When was the last time you ever broke the rules?"

"It's our duty to go to school," I retaliated. "I'm not like you! My path in life isn't decided for me. The very least I can do is try to get myself a head start on my future."

He blinked in obvious surprise. When he spoke, his deep voice took a serious tone. "Rei."

"Shut up. I don't want to talk to you." I started to stomp off, but strong arms wrapped around me and held me tight. "Let me go."

He squeezed me to the point I could barely breathe. "No. Listen to me."

I thrashed my body to try and escape, but I was no match for him. "This is not a game."

His lips tickled my ears as he spoke. "You're the first person I've met that's been able to keep up with me. It's okay if you don't know where you want to go. It's better, in fact. You have the freedom to choose your path."

My body trembled. Tears lined the edge of my eyes. I forced myself not to let them fall. _Of all people, why is Jinichi the one that's comforting me?_

He wrapped his hands around mine and lifted the box up. Guiding my fingers, he tore apart the wrapping paper and opened the box. A pen and a pair of earrings were inside, both red as blood. The earrings were simple, a crimson star hanging from a ruby stud. The pen glistened like fire in the sunlight.

Words died in my throat.

"I know you veer towards the practical," he said. "But I wanted to get you something nice too. It was your birthday, after all."

_How does he know me so well?_ "I can't accept this."

"Too bad, it's already opened and I don't accept returns."

"This is…" _A present you give a girlfriend, not a classmate._

"Put the earrings on," he prodded.

"But that's against dress code."

He chuckled. "Live a little. I'm sure no one will care."

"Everyone is going to notice we're late and then they'll notice the earrings, and put two and two together. "

He brushed a lock of hair behind my ear. "And what is that they'll think?"

The flames inside me roared. My body became hot. How did I not notice before how those ash-colored eyes held a serene storm? How those golden curls shimmered in the sunlight? Or how the alabaster of his skin contrasted with the soft rose of his lips?

The words on my tongue turned to ash. I couldn't say anything in response. The intense gaze in his eyes froze me into place. He reached into the box and pulled out an earring, then put it on. He tucked my hair behind my other ear and ran his fingers through the length of my hair. As he put the other earring on, I couldn't help but notice how his fingers felt like ice compared to the heat emitting from me. His cool touch lingered as he drew away, though the metal against my ears burned.

"Red suits you far more than white."

I still couldn't speak, which seemed to amuse him. He smiled and patted my head. "Go to class."

"What about you?"

He flashed an playful smile and shrugged. "I guess I'll take a day off. Everyone needs one of those once in awhile. Besides, I'm going to work for our company after I graduate. My grades don't really matter."

"Then why work so hard?"

"Pride."

_He and I, we're more alike than I thought._

He turned on his heel and started walking away. After a few steps, he turned back around. "Hey, Rei."

"Yes?"

"Meet me after school."

Against my better judgement, I replied, "Where?"

" _Tsukiyo._ "

" _Tsukiyo_ ," I replied. "I've never heard of it."

"It's a quiet place. You'll like it."

I pulled out my cell phone and pulled it up on a map app. "Ah, here it is." It was only a five minute walk from the school.

He grabbed my phone from my hand.

"Hey!"

"One second," he murmured and tapped on the screen before handing it back to me.

I looked at the screen and saw his name and number in my phone book.

"If you get lost, call me and I'll come pick you up."

I watched him walk away until I couldn't see him anymore. I opened the box in my hand and pulled out the pen. When it was held up to the light, it looked like fires danced upon its barrel. I normally prefer my items to be plain, but somehow the extravagance didn't offend me.

I put it in my pocket and put the box in a trashcan before walking to class. Whatever punishment awaited me didn't seem as bad as it did minutes before.

* * *

I couldn’t help but feel anxious the closer it came for the final bell. I heard whispers of what happened in the morning, why I was late, and why Jinichi skipped class, but no one dared to ask me directly.

Once the final bell rang, I calmly stood up and put away my things like it were any other day, though my heart beat like I ran a marathon. As I walked out of the building I checked the map and made a mental route to the place.

It was odd seeing all my classmates walking about. I never really paid any attention to them, or to what happened around me. But now, watching them, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of loneliness. My days were almost over. It was too late to make any friends.

_Excepting Jinichi._ Yet despite my feelings, I couldn’t shake the notion that I shouldn’t trust him completely. It soured every interaction I had with him, even the positive ones. It was a completely unfounded prejudice against him.

“You came,” he greeted as I came near. “Wow, I almost thought I’d be stood up.”

“I’m a girl of my word.”

He smiled. “Right. Come on, let’s go inside.”

He held open the door for me and we were seated immediately, no doubt due to his previous arrangements. He always had his I’s dotted and t’s crossed. Shortly after we sat, we were brought two parfaits. There was a distinct chemical aftertaste to the food that didn’t exist before the eruption. I could never get used to it, but I ate it all the same.

“How do you like it?”

“It’s good,” I lied. “How did you find this place?”

“Word of mouth. Asked around a bit.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Did anyone say anything about the earrings?”

“The usual. We celebrated an anniversary, or something.”

He chuckled. “They look good on you. How did you like the pen?”

It still was in my pocket. “I didn’t use it. Not yet, anyway.”

“There’s a trick to it.”

“Really?”

“Yeap. If you work it a certain way, it will give you a little surprise.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled it out. By all means, it looked like a normal pen. “Are you lying?”

“I’m not. Want me to open it?”

I shook my head. “No, let me figure it out myself.”

He nodded. “That’s like you to say.”

“Can I ask a question?”

He nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Why did you and your brothers try so hard to save this world?”

“Because we didn’t want to die.”

“Is there anything in this world worth saving? The beauty is gone. Don’t you think it’d be better to die?”

“I wouldn’t say that. You’re in this world, and you’re beautiful.”

I groaned. “I’m being serious.”

“This world is ugly, yes. But the people are what make it worth something. Even surrounded by death, there’s still life.” He propped his chin on his hand. “Good enough for you?”

“It’s not, but that’s probably as good of an answer as I’m going to get.”

He laughed. “It seems that way. Can I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

“Why are you struggling with what to do after graduation?”

I cringed. “Because I can’t find any beauty in this world. I have nothing to protect. I have no purpose.”

He reached across the table and put his hands around mine. “Then come work with me. You’re smart enough to be fine. We can help make this world beautiful again.”

_People show me their paths and offer to take me along. But is that truly my path? Is it my path if I’m following someone else’s directions?_

“Just promise me you’ll think about it.”

I gave him a small smile. “I promise.”

He squeezed my hands and let go. “I’ll hold you to it.”

“How close are you to the past?”

He arched an eyebrow. “How so?”

“Do you ever see people and feel like you know them? Not just know them, but feel something like nostalgia, like they were very important to you at one time.”

“Complete strangers?”

I nodded.

“Maybe something like that once, just a bit.”

“When?”

He half smiled. “That’s a little too personal for the first date, don’t you think?”

I couldn’t help but gasp. “First date?”

He chuckled. “What did you think this was?”

I didn’t know what I thought it was. I didn’t want a relationship or need a relationship. I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

“You’re brilliant about so many things, but dense about one. And that’s why I like you.”

Hearing the word like set off a world of unease in my stomach. I was barely starting to think of him as a friend, and he wants to call this a date…

I stood. “I forgot I promised I’d help Grandpa clean the shrine floors today.”

He stood up. “Why don’t I come over and help?”

“I can’t make you do that. It’s hard work.”

“And I’m no stranger to hard work.”

Every line I thought to speak in response was met with him finding a way to follow along. I couldn’t deny that he was my equal in stubborness, at the very least. “Fine. But you’ll have to keep up with me.”

He laughed. “I’ll take that challenge.”

As we walked out, a deep howl filled the air. We stopped and stared at each other. “Is that what I think it is?”

“No, we haven’t had any readings saying we were going to have another anytime soon.”

The world shook beneath us. “An earthquake?” I questioned. As I tried to balance myself, the rumbling of the earth became stronger. My knees wobbled and I fell down.

“Come here,” Jinichi ordered.

As he reached for me, a bright light spilled from the cracks in the earth. He grabbed my hand. I held onto his with a vice grip. As I stepped to him, the ground beneath me gave way. The light drew me into it like a black hole.

“Don’t let go!”

The light felt warm against my skin, and comforting, like a blanket. Somehow I felt like everything would be okay, even if I fell. Jinichi doubled his grip and pulled, but the light attracted my body like a magnet. I smiled up at him. “It’s okay.”

“Don’t talk like that. I’ll save you!”

“Then you’ll fall too.”

“I won’t!”

“Take care of Grandpa for me.” I let go of his hand. He groaned and tried to hold onto me. My hand inched out of his.

Tears fell from his eyes. “Rei, you can’t leave me.”

My fingers slipped from his hands and I fell into the shining abyss.

* * *

"Princess."

_Princess?_

"Verdite, get the doctor, please."

"Are you sure? Perhaps she is just resting."

"Our princess has yet to wake since her fainting spell yesterday. She is ill."

"As you command."

Cool hands caressed my face. "We are alone."

I opened my eyes and saw ash and gold. "Jinichi?"

His brows furrowed. "Who is this Jinichi you speak of?"

"What are you talking about? We were at the café and then there was an earthquake…" I gasped and sat straight up. "What happened to the city? Where am I?"

The man put his hands on my shoulders and gently pushed me back down to the bed. "Rest, Rei. You had quite a fall yesterday."

"I fell?"

"You fainted at the dinner party. Fortunately you suffered no injuries."

I glanced around the room. It looked like it came out of the history textbooks, of the old palace the emperor lived. Soft tatami floors, rich murals painted on the delicate rice paper dividers, the warmth of wooden walls and wooden furniture. I swallowed. _Where did they get so much wood? Everything burned in the eruption._ "Jinichi…"

He sat on the bed beside me and ran his fingers through my hair. "It's not nice to say another man's name around me."

I swallowed. The question I wanted to ask burned my lips. He had Jinichi's eyes. His lips. His nose. The light tousel of his curls. The same sardonic smirk, the same deep voice, everything. He was Jinichi in all but name. "What is your name?"

His eyes widened. "Rei?"

"Rei is my name," I confirmed. _But I don't think I'm the Rei you know._ "Where am I?"

"You have lost your memory," he whispered. He stood and paced the room. After a moment, he stopped and stared at me. "My name is Jadeite. I am the commander of the army of Mars, and I serve you, Princess Rei of the eternal flame."

I sucked in a breath. _I'm in the past?_ Each beat of my heart echoed in my eardrums. The room mixed into a haze of wood and gold. It all made sense now. Why I felt nostalgic around Jinichi. Why I never felt an attachment to the world I lived. "This is where I belong," I whispered. I pushed the blankets off me and stood. My legs wobbled. Jadeite reached over to catch me but I held up my hand. "No." I planted my feet firmly on the ground and steadied myself. "Let no one else know I lost my memory."

He pressed his lips together and bowed. "As you wish."

I took a deep breath. "I need to know everything that is going on. Assume I know nothing about this world and the people in it."

He half laughed. "That's going to be a long conversation."

"Then I pray you enjoy my company."

"Something like that," he replied with a slight smile. He held out his arm. "Well, Princess Rei, shall we go for a walk?"

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know where this is going, or what it is, really. I started writing out a setting idea and I kept thinking of Rei and Jadeite. So then I started writing them into that idea, and then I wrote this out because I had an itch to get it out of me. I dunno, I dunno. It's been a long time since I wrote from the seat of my pants and not an outline, so I'm pretty excited to see where this leads.


End file.
